If it were the old Benjamin, he would definitely stand there, dumbstruck, looking at me in disbelief, and muttered, "Eleanor, I... I’m going to be a father?"
"I’ll be even better to you than before, Eleanor!
I love you so much."
But now, I saw his eyes frequently darting towards the door, betraying his distraction.
Moments earlier, I had noticed someone lingering outside--just a sliver of a white dress, enough to divert all his attention.
It was none other than Mia.
When the last glimpse of white vanished, so did Benjamin's presence of mind.
I didn't say anything, and Benjamin just sat there quietly with me. Finally, he lost his patience, picked up his coat, and explained, "Work’s been crazy lately, you know...
"I should go."
Click--
The door closed behind him.
Benjamin walked in a hurry, without even waiting for my consent, eager to chase after the one outside.
He was just like when he was eighteen, always following me closely, unwilling to lag even a step behind.
Beside me, young Eleanor stood fuming.
"How could he just leave? Is work more important than you?
"He wasn't like this before!"
Indeed, he wasn’t.